Animal Crackers
by still.looking
Summary: Thirteen and Taub are sent to search a patient's house, and Kutner has a special mission. : Sucky summary, but please R&R. : NOT Thirteen/Taub, but Kudley.


**Finally typed this :P Was made in school last Monday but I didn't have time to type. Anyway it's up now! :* R&R 3**

**DISCLAIMER: No, I do not own House, nor Heels over Head by BLG, nor Canon Rock by Jerry C, nor JamLegend.**

**~ Saguru :D [aka. ]  
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"Okay, Foreman—get that LP. Thirteen and Taub—go search the home," House said, the command he gave for every case, parallel to his motto. _Everybody lies._ "Kutner—"

He looked up expectantly, closing the file.

"Go buy some more animal crackers. And coffee. Does anyone have any requests? Keep it under three dollars."

"Why me?" Kutner sat back grumpily in his chair.

"You're the only one with nothing to do. Now, go."

As they left the room together (Foreman going the other way to get the LP), Taub muttered to Thirteen, "How are you guys going? Foreman seems upset."

Kutner winced, but disguised it by pressing the elevator button.

"We just broke up."

Kutner couldn't help but stare. "Really?" he said, a touch of hopefulness very obvious in his tone. Taub shot him a quick, curious look.

"Yeah, I love it," she said, "Free again."

"You don't mind?"

"Nope. As for him, as long as he doesn't kill a patient, no one will care."

The elevator door rolled open.

"See ya, Kutner," Thirteen waved. Since the patient's house and the store were in different directions, they had to part.

He smiled, waving back, then turned and ran off, almost laughing with relief.

Taub turned over an unwashed plate in disgust.

"Either they are really lazy, or they rushed off to the hospital right after he spat blood. Caring family."

"Wife, you mean. They don't have kids."

"Yet."

"I guess so…"

Thirteen looked under the bed, shook the pillows, then raised the mattress. A small white bottle was sitting quietly.

She trudged down the stairs to throw the bottle to Taub. "An Alzheimer's medication, I would say."

"Man, everybody _does_ lie. Anyway, look what I found."

He showed her the kitchen.

"No fridge," she said, noting the dark square on the floor. The thought of a fridge reminded her of how thirsty she was.

"Hey Taub, you got any water?"

"No, I thought you brought some." He shut a cupboard drawer. "What do you think?"

"It's irrelevant, the wife probably sent it to be fixed."

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. They jumped and looked at each other.

"Are you sure this is the right house?" she hissed worriedly.

"Yes, I checked thrice!"

"Thirteen? Taub? Where are you?" a voice called out. They exhaled in relief.

"Dang it Kutner, you gave us a heart attack!"

"Sorry. I would have surprised for you, but he has a nosy neighborhood." He set down a paper bag on the kitchen table, and pulled out some soda. "I thought you might be thirsty, since House never lets us drink from a patient's house." He handed the soda out.

"I love you, Kutner," Thirteen muttered before she drank, causing Kutner to blush. Taub choked on his soda, but they both ignored him.

"What, really?"

"Come on, Kutner." Thirteen rolled her eyes. "You can't possibly take _that_ seriously."

A few minutes passed in idle chat, then Taub suggested that Kutner help him search the backyard garage. Thirteen agreed, going off to raid the library.

Kutner ran his hand over a rusted bicycle, keeping his face away from Taub. "Barely used."

"Yeah," Taub said hurriedly, waving that aside. "Stop hiding, I know already anyway, Kutner."

"_Yyyyeah_, but you'll tease me."

"Come on, let's get back inside." Taub was smirking.

Kutner rolled his eyes. "See what I mean?"

Thirteen poked her head around the door. "Come on, boys, House is calling us back in."

As they walked to the car, Thirteen's cellphone rang with a message.

_And yes, the 'come back to Daddy' part includes Kutner too._

"Looks like he knew you'd be coming here," Taub said.

"I'm that predictable."

"He knows that you love—" Kutner scowled at him, blushing. "—working with us. What?"

Taub got into the driver's seat, and Thirteen pulled Kutner in playfully with her in the backseat.

"iPod?" Kutner offered, holding out a black iPod Nano.

"I'll pick the song."

She flicked randomly through the songs and it finally played _Heels Over Head _by Boys Like Girls.

_I got your runaway smile in a piggybank baby_

_Gonna cash you right in for a new Mercedes_

A while later, an annoyed Taub was enduring the two of them singing the chorus, completely off-key.

_Now I'm heels over head_

_I'm hanging upside down_

"Keep quiet, kids, or I'll drop you off," Taub said teasingly.

_I got a first-class ticket to a night all alone_

_And a front row seat up right by the phone_

Kutner grinned as Taub rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation.

_I'm the first to fall and the last to know_

_Where'd you go?_

When the song ended, Taub was pleased to hear that it was a classical remix. _Canon Rock._

"You play JamLegend?" Thirteen had laughed. "You're such a child."

Miraculously, Thirteen nodded off to sleep on his shoulder. He could smell her hair. It was something distinctly familiar… chrysanthemums?

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**I'll give you a cookie if you review. 3**

**~ Saguru  
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